Tumble barrel



March Z9, 1949, P. P. BURNS v 2,465,632

TUMBLE BARREL Y Filed April 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR, 23a u12,5 u 2*'21 ,5,

March 29, 1949. P- P, BURNS 2,465,632

TUMBLE BARREL Filed April 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENToR, PafuijurngPatented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUMBLE BARREL Paul P.Burns, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 8, 1947, Serial No. 740,138

1 Claim. 1

The object of the invention is to provide improvements in tumble barrelsbroadly, but more particularly in details of construction and operation,whereby during operation of the tumble barrel the relatively ne burrs,grit and the like separated from the articles being tumbled arecontinuously being separated from such articles.

Another object is to provide the combination of a tumble barrel havingapertured peripheral walls through which the finer particles oi grit,burrs and the like can pass from within the barrel as it rotates,together with means to vary at will the aggregate cross sectional areasof the combined apertures.

A further object is to provide in such a device a drawer or movable bininto which the undesirable reiuse particles are caught as they gravitatefrom Within the barrel, and by means of which they can be removed atwill without necessitating that they be separated from the articlesbeing tumbled after the tumbling and cleaning operation is completed.

Still another object is to provide a device of this character in whichtwo or more reciprocatable drawers are located beneath the barrel, theone or more drawers above the lowermost drawer being provided withscreen or apertured bottoms, whereby selected sizes of particles can beautomatically separated from one another, as they drop from within thebarrel, the ner particles proceeding to the lowermost drawer while thelarger particles are arrested by and remain in an upper drawer, and thesizes of the openings in the bottom of an upper drawer being alsocapable of adjustment if desired.

With this brief statement of the objects, the invention comprisesfurther details of construction and operation, which are hereinafterfully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of acomplete tumble barrel comprising one embodiment of the invention; Fig.2 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thetumble barrel or cylinder per se; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary planview of a portion of one apertured side of the tumble barrel with acorresponding portion of one of the aperture controlling slides mountedthereon; Fig. 5 is a section of one of said apertured isides with itsslide in fully opened position along a line indicated by the line 5-5 ofFig. 4; Fig. 6 is a similar section but showing the slide adj-usted soas to decrease the effective size of the openings in the barrels sidewall; Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation similar to that shown in Fig.l but with a portion of the end Wall broken away to disclose the barrel,sloping wall and trays within the outer casing; and Fig. 8 is a frontelevation similar to Fig. 2 but showing a portion of the iront brokenaway for the same purpose.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of the invention is shown ascomprising an outer casing which is composed of end walls I, a rear wall2, a bottom 3, a restricted top wall 4, a diagonally extending upperwall 5 that connects the upper edge of the rear wall 2 with the rearedge of the top wall 4, a closure 5 that is hinged at 'I of the forwardedge of said top wall, and a pair of outwardly opening doors 8 thattogether form when closed a front wall, and which are hingedly mountedat 9 upon the forward edges of said side walls. and which may beprovided with manually engageable handles I 0. Said closure 6 may beprovided with a suitable handle II, and while it is normally in loweredor closed position, it may be swung upwardly and reversely until itrests upon said top wall, thereby providing an opening and permittingaccess to the barrel within.

The tumble barrel per se is composed of preferably polygonally shapedend walls I2 to which are secured by any suitable means I3 oppositely'extending trunnions I4, said trunnions passing outwardly through theend walls I` of the casing through suitable bushings I5. To one of thesetrunnions is secured a pulley I6, which broadly represents any availableand suitable means for rotating said barrel at the desired speed.

One or more of the plane walls or sides I1 of said barrel may beimperforate if preferred, while one of them is normally closed by meansof a removable panel I 8 having a handle I9, and which when opposite theopening of the casing and the closure 6 lifted permits articles to betreated to be placed in said barrel, after which the closure I8 isreplaced and the casing closure 6 returned to closed position. Thebarrel closure panel I8 may be removably secured in operative positionby any suitable means. such for instance as the thumb nuts or screws 20.

Each of the barrels peripheral walls or sides 2I between the imperforateside or sides I1 and the closure wall I8 is provided with preferablythough not necessarily regularly spaced apertures 22 of the same ordierent diameters or other cross sectional areas. Slidably mounted toreciprocate upon' each of these apertured sides is a plate 23,havingapertures 24 that in number, size and arrangement substantiallycorrespond with the same characteristics of the apertures 22 in thesides 2 i. Each slide is restrained to move in a r path by pin-and-slotor other e means while each slide is secured in any desired position bymeans of thumb screws fi@ or the like, so that by adjusting and securingeach slide in a given position, the desired effective area of theapertures 22 in the barrel sides is obtained and maintained.

in thelower-rear vpart of thefinteriorfof said casing iapositionedaslanting wall 2l that serves to guide dust and particles falling fromthe tumble barrel towards the one or more receivingtrays that arepositioned in the lower portion of said casing adjacent to or actuallyresting upon These trays mayfbeotany .f

the bottom wall 3. desired number, but for purposes of illustration twoof them are shown. The lower tray. Bimay slide upon the bottom 3 or maybe slightlyspaced above the same, and is. removabule when the .frontaldoors 3 are opened. The upper tray 29 is .likewise movable independentlyof said lower tray upon any suitable-means such for example as theguides 3E! vcarried by the side walls i' of said casing. And said traysreceive particles from within the barrel, as they drop directlythereinto or rst drop upon the rear slantinglwall 2li4 and thence fallinto the trays.

' One tray alone is used when no selection is de'- sired vbetweenthe'sizes of theparticles falling from the barrel as it rotates.However, if selection of such particles as to size is desired, two orvmore such trays are used. In this case, the upper tray is provided withan `apertured bottom wall 3i, or a bottoml may comprise a wire or otherform of mesh having apertures of predetermined areas, which will in mostif not every case be less than that Vof the apertures in the barrelysides' when restricted by the positions of the slides 23.y

For examplepas articles are being treated during rotation of the barrel,particles of various sizes fall therefrom, due to lthe abrasionof onesuch* article against the irregular edges and other portions of theother articles, and the small burrs,y flanges'and the like, especiallyythose incidenttd the formation of molded, "cast, punched 'and/orstamped articles, are removed and fall'througlr' the apertures-22 in thebarrel sides.

If'only large articles are Abeingtreated,y theI slides may be in fully'opened position; But ifI small articles, such for insta-nce'assmall'sizes of screws, bolts, nuts and the like, are-being treated andthese articles are of such size `that: they would `otherwise` pass"through the barrel" apertures, the latter are Asuitablyrestricted byadjustment' 'of said plates y2 l.

means of :the one i-:or'more trays., the closure ofI theV barrel may beremoved; .and :the fbarrel' turneduntil the treated 4'articles,fallin'to a. tray.,l

therebeneatnby, means of which lthe treated articles .-.may :then -beremoved; and Y,thegbarr-el ,ire-v.

Thereaften'if' the particles :falling through `said vbarrel 'apertures-rarefto vbe classiedfas for eXample'into dust and larger sizes, two ormore superimposed trays are usedjin' which case the dust fallsthrough'into` the lowermost tray, while the next larger size of fparticles are arrested in the tray next'thereabove,` since they cannotpass through the apertures-of the mesh or apertured Abottom of the:upper tray 29:1' Also,v if desireclthe aperturesin -said upper.: traymay be regulated in -anyi'suitable'manner,l

turned to receiving position with its still open side in line with theopening made available by lifting of the closure 6, and fresh articlespoured or dumped into the barrel, after which the barrel closure i8 isreplaced, the closure 8 likewise replaced, the front doors 8 closed, andthe barrel again started to rotate in the usual manner.

If desired, the unusually fine dust produced in sometumble vbarreloperations vmay be drawn olf by a-suction fan or blower-'32s connectedto an exhaust pipe 33 leading from any desired part ofithe casing, inwhich case a screened entrance for fresh air may be provided in somepart of the 4casing spaced therefrom, and the finest particles,fallinginto the lower tray are previously freed from such dust.

Inadditionztothe new tumble barrel comprising andmproved machine assuch, it makes possible the highly eflicient functioning of a new methodor principle in the operation of apparatus of this type. For example,many articleswhether of plastic or of metallic nature, it Vhas been.foundadvantageous to treat in stepsfbeginning with;I thetumbli-ng of thearticles themselves alone inv thebarrel with all discharge holes closedfor a` period of about a half-hour more or less,.depending upon thetype,shape and fmaterialfof; which the articles are formed; There are thenplaced inthe barrel with saidwarticles :one-or more sizes of treatingdevices, such -as one ory more sizes of balls, after which'theltumblingisv continued as the balls, usually ofsmall'size', enter` thedeeper and narrower irregularities and recesses of the articles, whilelargerballs ifpresent. treat, the outer surfaces andy edges:- When thearticles have beensuiiiciently treated,;thebarrel is stopped and thegratingsropened sufficiently to pass the waste alone, and then-openedwiderfto pass-the balls of aigiven maximumvsizepwhichi fal1"into asingle tray-therebeneath,A the. waste,` beingr disposed of before theballs are released; into said tray. However, if two or more sizesvofballs are used in treating the v`varticles', Aafter the latter` havefirst `been tumbled upon and amongv themselves without the 'additionoftreatingfdevices; upon stopping the barrel" the gratings are: openedsufficiently to pass the lsmallest sizeofballs during-a few revolutionsof the "barrel in" addition to or subsequent to vpassage` of the waste,;after whichthe gratingsi-are'fopened farther andballs of. a larger sizepermitted1to: pass rthere-'xv through.' Also, with either a'sihgle size':or'a: multiplicity ci sizesl ofA balls' being used, two"(or; more)trays may be employed; in Y'which case the waste dust and gritremovedfromth'etreated of. waste and treating devices v,may be released?simultaneously and-separated as they fall from tray to tray. Thus, thereare nurnerousrways-andv combinations iniwhichithe details and functionsofthe severalparts ofthe r`device may be operated 'in"-carry:'ng out the`improved A method rof tumbling yand subsequent separation :ofggtreatingdevices-.and waste irom'one, another. and in grading :either `or both:of.; saiddeviceseand ywaste-.1 as;

desired.

Having-.thus fdescribediirny,'finventiornwhat. .:I i'

5 claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A tumble barrel, comprising a casing which in turn comprisessubstantially vertical bottom, front, rear and side walls topped by apolygonally shaped covering wall, said front wall being composed ofhinged doors and one of the sections of said covering wall being ahinged closure, a plurality of independently slidable drawers in thelower portion of said casing, the upper drawer having an aperturedbottom and the lowermost drawer having an imperforate bottom, a shaftextending through and rotatable with respect to said end walls, apolygonally shaped tumble barrel mounted to rotate upon the axis of saidshaft, one oi the at sections of said tumble barrel being removable forinsertion and withdrawal of articles, others of said flat sections beingprovided with apertures, slidably mounted apertured gratings carried bysaid last-mentioned fiat sections, means to secure said gratings in suchpositions as to predetermine the eective sizes of the apertures in thecorresponding sides of the barrel, and means within said casing todeflect the fall of particles from said barrel to the uppermost of saiddrawers.

PAUL P. BURNS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the e of thispatent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 24,104 Davis May 24, 1859 271,497McClure Jan. 30, 1883 401,878 Dodge Apr. 23, 1889 594,422 Paul Nov. 30,1897 647,746 Gasslein Apr. 17, 1900 665,935 Rudolph Jan. 15, 1901775,755 Larson Nov. 22, 1904 1,285,280 McCarty Nov. 19, 1918 1,293,188Pfersch Feb. 4, 1919 1,468,893 Wolever Sept. 25, 1923 1,888,735 McKinneyet al. Nov. 22, 1932 2,139,358 Ericson Dec. 6, 1938 2,189,711 EigenbrotFeb, 6, 1940

